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I'm now in my mid 40's and ready for a new challenge. Current hobbies are Snowmachining, ATV's and RV'ing with my family. Only interested in a private VFR rating and plan on being a fair weather flyer. Might go to IFR but that would be way down road. Living Wasilla but work in Anchorage.

Assuming you prefer to fly based in Wasilla rather than Anchorage? Would be worth looking at the flyers around the airport to see who is advertising training. If you are training in somebody else's plane, you need to find somebody who rents aircraft. If you are buying a plane, you need to find a CFI willing to instruct in your plane. Those two scenarios may be different people, so you will need to identify how you want to do this...

Heidi Ruess and her son Rick teach out of Lake Hood and have a very long history as trainers. Most of the municipal airports along the road system seem to have somebody willing to do training if you want to look around.

Are you intending to get training for a specific type of flying, or do you primarily intend to fly airport to airport in a small plane? If your eventual goal is to go gravel-bar hopping and beach exploring, the specifics of who you get training from will become more critical, but likely that doesn't matter until you get your private certificate.

If I were you I would seek out one of those retired grey haired guys or gals that teach flying because they love to do so. Winter flying is a blast but short,cold days can be a hinderance. Palmer has fewer flying days than Wasilla because of wind. Anchorage and Birchwood are not windy like the valley and you have more instructors to choose from. Willow comes to mimd as a good training base. It has a nice airstrip with good approach and departure.
Consider Walt Warner with Alaska legends in Willow. I do not know him personally but I know of him.

Fly at least a couple times a week for an hour to an hour and one half. Ask to sit in the plane when it is not being used to get familiar with it, before and after your first flight and subsequent flights. "Dry fly" the airplane and learn where every thing is without having to visually or physically. After each flight use your minds eye to relive your fight.

Took another lesson this morning. There is no structure or program so I am not sure what I will be doing during the lesson. Is this the correct way to give flight instruction? It doesn't feel right to me so that is why I'm looking around for other options.

My lesson today was pattern work/touch-n goes. It went well but had a couple of floater landings that extended down the runway. On two occasions the rpms were up a couple hundred. But all in all it felt good.

There is no structure or program so I am not sure what I will be doing during the lesson. Is this the correct way to give flight instruction? It doesn't feel right to me so that is why I'm looking around for other options.

Don't order pizza, if you want mashed potatoes.

Often the first few lessons are just making sure you do not kill yourself or the instructor.

People learn differently. Like FP says, the first few flights can be a bit of a test of personal compatibility and risk for the instructor. But some folks learn best with a specific syllabus. Most any training (unless you want to go to Arizona) will have to mold the details around the weather that presents itself, though. So even the experience of trying to schedule certain types of flights will help teach weather evaluation and patience. Have fun.

I'm a relatively low time pilot and don't have any experience with rigid programs, but as for my own flight training experience, it seemed that my lessons were built around my needs - both stated desires as a pilot and the needs that my instructor perceived as I developed as a pilot. There wasn't a set structure from day one, but rather each lesson was dictated by the one that came before it, my skill development, and our pre and post-flight conversations. That seemed like the right approach for me, but it may not be right for everyone.

I appreciate the suggestions.. It feels like I will miss something in the lessons without a tracking mechanism or an outline to work from. Maybe it was the instructor asking me what we have covered so far??

I appreciate the suggestions.. It feels like I will miss something in the lessons without a tracking mechanism or an outline to work from. Maybe it was the instructor asking me what we have covered so far??

Your instructor should outline what today's flight will include, and a post-flight debriefing should review what you have done and what you have accomplished. It's a good time to ask questions, too.

Can anyone tell me why there has always been such a heavy load of touch-and-go instruction and practice? Such a maneuver almost never occurs in the real world, and I'd think that three such maneuvers should be plenty. Missed approaches make more sense, in real life, but not the usual touch-and-go. I'd much rather see better instruction and practice in slow flight. And in spin instruction, of course ..................

I don't know...but I do feel that a very high proficiency in touch and go operations is favorable training for evaluating bush strips, where a drag and go can give you a chance to evaluate the surface before committing to a landing. I doubt most students really end up needing that skill, but in Alaska I think it is a good thing.

3rd flight - instructor was over an hour late and couldn't remember what we did the week before. I did the preflight before he arrived, run up, pattern work with soft field landings & take-off's 10 or so landings with 10* & 20* flaps.

I don't mind if the program jumps around but I expect the instructor to recall our last session and discuss it after the flight so I can talk thru the lessons learned.

I will be talking with the owner on Monday regarding the lack of direction and communication. Hopefully we can get things on track closer to what float pilot detailed.

I don't know...but I do feel that a very high proficiency in touch and go operations is favorable training for evaluating bush strips, where a drag and go can give you a chance to evaluate the surface before committing to a landing. I doubt most students really end up needing that skill, but in Alaska I think it is a good thing.

Not the same as a touch-and-go, though . . . . . In more than 20,000 hours of Alaska outback flying, I've dragged a whole lot of landing spots, but never at stall speeds, which touch-and-go obviously requires.